Billiards Guide
A new doorway
into billiards.
From the rules of play to ways of folding the game into everyday life. Everything for those just discovering billiards is here.
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The Rules of Play
01
9-Ball
Lowest ball first; the 9 decides it
02
10-Ball
Every shot is called
03
8-Ball
Clear your group, then the 8
04
14-1
One point per ball, piling up
05
Rotation
Each ball’s number is its score
06
Bowlliards
A solo game for honing your stroke
Which Game to Learn First
- For two first-timers, 9-Ball. Just hit the balls in order, lowest number first, and you can play right away.
- For a relaxed game with a larger group, 8-Ball. Split into solids and stripes and take turns.
- If you’re practicing alone, Bowlliards. Your score shows your progress.
- Once you’re comfortable, try the point-building game of Rotation, or the call-your-shot games of 10-Ball and 14-1.
Comparing the Six Games
| Game | Balls | Rack shape | How to win | Call shot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9-Ball | 9 object balls (10 with the cue ball) | Diamond | Pocket the 9 to win the rack | No |
| 10-Ball | 10 object balls | Triangle (4 rows) | Call and pocket the 10 | Yes |
| 8-Ball | 15 object balls | Triangle (5 rows) | Clear your group, then pocket the 8 | Depends on the event (yes under WPA) |
| 14-1 | 15 object balls | Triangle (5 rows) | One point per ball; first to the target score wins | Yes (the break too) |
| Rotation | 15 object balls | Triangle (5 rows, every ball in a fixed position) | Each number is its score; first to the agreed total, such as 120 or 150, wins | Depends on the event or venue |
| Bowlliards | 10 object balls | Triangle (4 rows) | Total over 10 frames (perfect score 300) | Yes |
Three games use all 15 object balls: 8-Ball, Rotation and 14.1. In every game, the only ball you strike is the white cue ball. The break is taken from behind the head string (the kitchen), with at least one foot on the floor as you strike.
List of Fouls
Fouls common to every game, such as scratches and no-rail fouls, and how each game differs in what happens after one.
Billiards Glossary
Cue ball and object ball, the kitchen, ball in hand, push out: the words you need to read the rules.
Each game page follows the Nippon Billiard Association (NBA) “Pocket Billiards Competition Rules” (June 2026 revision, in Japanese). Where they differ from the World Standardized Rules (WPA Rules of Play), each page notes the difference.
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